Our view: Everyone can help promote tourism

State officials apparently are serious about boosting tourism in the state, and a beneficiary of their efforts should be Rutherford County, which according to the latest report, had $272.8 million in tourism-related spending in 2012.

The county, which ranks in the Top 10 in counties in Tennessee for tourism, saw an increase in tourism-related spending from $252.83 million in 2011.

The Tennessee Tourism Committee last week released its strategic plan for tourism development in the state, and Rutherford County should benefit from at least two of the proposed initiatives, if not more.

Uncle Dave Macon Days would seem ideal for proposed creation of a network of musical events.

High school sports championships in Murfreesboro, the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex and work on expanded tennis facilities at Old Fort Park all fit rather nicely into the proposed targeting of the youth sports market.

Rutherford County already has several tourism advantages.

The county's central location in the state has helped to draw the high school sports championships, professional conferences, training sessions and other events for the convenience of those in this rather elongated state.

Another advantage for tourism here has been Middle Tennessee State University, and its efforts to serve not only the region and the state but also the nation and the world can only result in more visitors to this community.

In this time of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, the community should have become more aware of the county's related historical resources, including Stones River National Battlefield, Fortress Rosecrans, Oaklands Historic House Museum and the Sam Davis Home.

Recent announcement that the Sam Davis Home plans to cut back on its days of operation has raised some concerns, but perhaps that decision should be an incentive for residents of the community also to avail themselves of all the opportunities that are available at the Sam Davis Home and the country's other tourism sites.

Tourism-generated tax revenue helps to reduce the tax burden of those of us who live here, so helping to recruit tourists can be good for everyone.

Rutherford County continues to be a county with a growing and diverse population, and "word of mouth" usually is the best method to get those around the region, nation and world to visit the attractions here.

To have the best information, however, we all need to visit these sites.

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Our view: Everyone can help promote tourism

State officials apparently are serious about boosting tourism in the state, and a beneficiary of their efforts should be Rutherford County, which according to the latest report, had $272.8 million in